The Managerial Revolution, published in 1941, introduced a framework suggesting that proceduralists would eventually dominate modern society, marking a pivot in 20th-century political thought. James Burnham, a Chicago-born thinker, transitioned from radical activism to becoming a key architect of American conservative theory, eventually exerting influence through his long-term affiliation with William F. Buckley Jr.'s National Review.
Academic Foundation
Born in 1905, Burnham demonstrated early intellectual aptitude, graduating at the top of his class at Princeton University. He continued his studies at Balliol College, Oxford, where his tutors included J.R.R. Tolkien and Martin D'Arcy. By 1929, he secured a position as a philosophy professor at New York University. During this period, he authored An Introduction to Philosophical Analysis in 1931, signaling his initial focus on formal philosophical methodology.
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During the 1930s, Burnham became a prominent Trotskyist activist. He helped organize the American Workers Party and later joined the Socialist Workers Party. However, the signing of the 1939 Nazi-Soviet pact and the subsequent Soviet invasions of Finland and other Baltic states triggered a decisive break. In a 1940 resignation letter, he formally rejected dialectical materialism and Marxist economics, arguing that the Soviet Union represented a new form of imperialistic class society.
Government Service and Cold War Advocacy
During World War II, Burnham took leave from New York University to serve the Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor to the CIA. Recommended by George F. Kennan, he eventually led a division within the Office of Policy Coordination. Throughout the Cold War, he moved away from containment strategies, advocating instead for the global rollback of communism. His work TPAJAX remains a notable element of his legacy, reflecting his deep involvement in state-level strategic affairs.
Conservative Influence
In 1955, Burnham joined William F. Buckley Jr. to establish the National Review. As a regular contributor, he influenced the direction of the American conservative movement for decades. His work often focused on the necessity of a hegemonic global order led by the United States to counter Soviet influence. In recognition of his contributions to political discourse and government service, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Fast facts
- Born: 1905, Chicago
- Died: 1987, Kent
- Education: Princeton University, Balliol College
- Key Publication: The Managerial Revolution
- Notable Recognition: Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Primary Employer: New York University
- Government Service: Office of Strategic Services
Questions readers ask
What did Burnham believe about the Soviet Union?
He characterized the Soviet Union as a new form of exploitive imperialistic class society rather than a worker state, and he campaigned for the global rollback of communism.
Did Burnham remain a Marxist throughout his career?
No, he rejected Marxism and dialectical materialism in 1940, moving toward a career as an influential theorist of the American political right.
Achievements
- Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Notable work: TPAJAX
- Held posts at Office of Strategic Services and New York University
